Whipstock



J. 'JOHNSON Sept. 29, 1942.

WHIPSTOCK Original Filed June 16, 1959 Patented Sept. 29, 1942 2,297,415 WHgIPs'rocK Jack Johnson, Long Beach, Calif., assignor to .John W. Heaston.

Original application `fune 16, 1939, Serial No. 279,562.. Divided and this application August 5, Y 1940, Serial No.351,-464

5 claims. (o1. Z55- 1.6)

This invention relates to improvements in' whipstocks for use'in oil well bore holes and particularly to anchoring 'means therefor, and is a division carved from the application. of Jack Johnson for Whipstoc-ks, patented December 31, 1940, No. 2,227,347.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a Whipstock of the above-mentioned character having laterally projected anchoring members adapted lto pierce the well casing and retain the whipstock in its located position, with said members extended by means of a wedge movable downwardly in the whipstock under influence of iiuid pressure.

With the above and other objects in View that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in general of certain novel. details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and claimed.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of the lower end of the whipstock in a well casing with the well casing gripping pins in retracted position,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View, similar to Fig. 1, with the gripping pins in their projected positions,

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken online 3-3 of Fig. 2, showing the valved piston for operating the gripping pins,

Fig. 4 is a cross-seCtional view taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 1, showing the gripping pins in retracted position within the well casing, and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional View taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 2, showing the gripping pins in projected positions through the well casing.

The whipstock designated in general by the reference character 5a has a head portion Iia spaced from the main body portion by means of a cylinder 'Ia connected to the body portion of the whipstock as at Ila and to the head Iia at the point 9a by means of weld joints. The diameter of the whipstock 5a is slightly smaller than the well casing I Ia to allow the whipstock to be easily slid in place to the desired location with respect to the point connector I2a.

The central bore Illa of the whipstock 5a is provided with a fluid pressure pipe I5a having its lower end communicating with the interior of the cylinder Ia by being threaded as at I6a in the upper end of a nipple I'Ia tted in an enlarged portion of the bore Illa as at |821. The lower terminal end of the nipple I'Ia projects into the Ahead 6a is a tapered borer 2l)a having `the upper end in communication with the interiorv of the 'cylinder 'Ig andV the lowerportionV extending through thepointed portion-of the head 6?. E'X- tending radially outwardfrom the central bore 2l)a are radial bores 2121A in which are slidably mounted anchoring or gripping pins 22a vhaving theouter ends pointed asat-23a forengaging the casing I Ia vand causing'the same to bepunctured as at 36a.` The inner ends of the radial anchoring pins 228L extend into the central tapered bore 20a and are adapted to abut an elongated wedge 2lia extending downwardly from a sliding piston 25a reciprocably mounted in the cylinder 1a. A packing ring 26a surrounds the piston head`25a and'is held in place by means -ofa disk 2Iase cured to the piston head by means of machine screws 28a. Formedin the piston head 25a -is a curved duct 30- having the upper end opening through the top wall of Vthepiston in alignment with a beveled opening 3 Ia-formed in the disk 21a. The lower end of the duct 30a communicates with the cylinder 'Ia and a ball valve 33a is adapted to be seated in the beveled opening 3 Ia as shown in Fig. 3. A bleeding port 34aL is formed in the side wall of the cylinder 'Ia to allow the escape of mud or sediment therefrom when the piston 25a is forced downwardly by fluid under pressure passing through the pipe I5a into the cylinder la. When the piston 25a is forced downwardly in the cylinder la, the squared wedge 24a will expand.v

the casing gripping pins 22ab and force them into engagement with the casing I Ia.

Means for determining the location or positioning of the whipstock 5a is provided and ncludes a spring arm 3'Ia having one end rigidly attached to the whipstock and the opposite end extending into the cut-away portion Il!a thereof. A hook 38a is formed in the free end of the spring arm for engaging the space between the joint collar` |221. Also, a spring arm 39a has its lower end anchored to the whipstock while the upper free end holds the spring arm 3la under tension when the hooked end is in place.

In the operation of the device, the whipstock is lowered into the well casing to the desired depth, and when fluid under pressure is forced downwardly through the pipe Illa, the piston 25a carrying the elongated wedges 24a is forced downwardy with the wedge laterally shifting the gripping pins 22a to cause the ends 23a thereof to puncture the wall of the well casing as at 36a and become interlockingly engaged with the well casing for anchoring the whipstock in position.

While there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that minor changes may be made in the details of construction, such as will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A whipstock comprising a head portion and a tail portion, a tubular connection therebetween forming a pressure chamber, anchoring pins slidably located in the head, a piston mounted in the pressure chamber, a wedge-shaped projection on the piston adapted to operate the anchoring pins and said head having an opening whereby pressure in the well casing will normally hold the piston in the upper end of the pressure chamber during the downward travel of the whipstock.

2. A whipstock comprising a head portion having a central bore, a tail portion having a centrai bore in alinement with the rst mentioned bore, a tubular member connecting the head and tail portions forming a pressure chamber therebetween, anchoring pins mounted in the head portion, a piston located in the pressure chamber having a passageway for allowing circiuation of liquid through the whipstock when the piston is in its raised position, a wedge formed on the piston for projecting the anchoring pins outwardly of the head, and a ball valve adapted to be located at the upper end of the piston passageway whereby pressure exerted on the top of the piston will force the wedge downwardly and project the anchoring pins.

3. A whipstock comprising a head portion having a central bore, anchoring pins mounted in the head portion to be extended radially, a tail portion having a central passageway, a tubular member connecting the head and tail forming a pressure chamber, a piston reciprocably mounted in the pressure chamber having a port to establish communication between the bore in the tail and the bore in the head and a ball valve adapted to be dropped into the bore of the tail to locate at the upper end of the piston port to thereby set the piston to receive pressure and exert the wedge carried thereby downwardly and force the anchoring pins to their operative position.

4. A whipstock comprising a tail portion having a central passageway adapted to receive a well string, a head portion having a central port in alinement therewith, anchoring pins mounted in the head to be projected radially, a tubular member connecting the head portion and the tail portion forming a compression chamber, a piston reciprocably mounted in the compression chamber, means carried by the lower end of the piston for operating the anchoring pins and a ball valve adapted to be dropped through the well string to locate in a port in the piston whereby pressure exerted on the top wall of the piston will force the same downwardly and operate the anchoring pins.

5. A whipstock for deep well bores comprising an elongated body portion with a head and tail and having alined circulation ports, a tubular member connecting the head and body portion, horizontally alined radially disposed anchoring pins carried by the head adapted to be projected beyond theperiphery thereof, a piston mounted in the tubular member, said piston adapted to be driven downwardly by uid pressure, and a wedge-shaped extension depending from the piston adapted to engage the inner ends of the anchoring pins to project the same into engagement with the casing or well bore, the wedge-shaped extension being normally conned within the tubular member and head and adapted to be projected downwardly through the head,l said tubular member being of slightly less diameter than the diameter of the well bore and the interior of the tubular member being in lateral communication with the well bore to bleed the tubular member. Y

JACK JOHNSON. 

